University of Memphis Athletics
Friday, February 7
Memphis, Tenn.
3 PM
University of Memphis
vs
Rust College
Memphis Softball Set for 901 Classic
Feb 06, 2025 | Softball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis softball is set to begin a new era under head coach Trena Prater, beginning with the 901 Classic at Tiger Softball Complex. The tournament will see the Tigers play in five games over three days against Rust College, Lindenwood and Hampton.
Memphis opens its season with a Friday night game against Rust College at 3 p.m., followed by a game against Lindenwood at 5:30 p.m. Both Friday games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Memphis will have two games on Saturday, facing off against Hampton at 3 p.m. and Lindenwood at 5 p.m. Memphis will conclude its weekend with a second game against Hampton at 10 a.m. Friday, which will also be broadcast on ESPN+.
The 901 Classic schedule, results, live stats and broadcast links (if applicable) can be found here.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
After a lackluster 2024 season, Memphis has turned to Trena Prater as the program's newest head coach. Prater joins the Tigers after a successful two seasons at Campbell, where she went 79-39-1 and won conference championships in both the Big South Conference and Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). She is joined in Memphis by three previous members of her staff at Campbell, Nerissa Myers, Erin Arevalo and Joy Milkowski, who have all been named as assistant coaches. Additionally, Cassady Brewer joins as the director of operations. She previously played under Prater at Central Florida during the 2018 season.
Offensively, the Tigers have retained most of their top producers from 2024. Zoe Adebayo led Memphis in numerous statistical categories. During the 2024 season, she led the Tigers in average (.280), hits (35), doubles (6), home runs (4), runs batted in (24) and OPS (.831).
McKaylee Polk and Arianna Cox-Cole were also contributors for Memphis last season, finishing second and third on the team in batting average. Polk also finished the season tied with Adebayo for the team lead in home runs with four. Cox-Cole led the Tigers on the base paths with 15 stolen bases last season.
Memphis hopes to revitalize the pitching staff after struggling in 2024. Taniyah Brown and Rylee Dugar led the Tigers in appearances with 33 and 29, respectively. Brown led Memphis with 135.1 innings pitched and 81 strikeouts, while Dugar led the team in starts with 22. Freshmen Jericho Tate and Lyrical Bennett are expected to contribute in the circle.
Defensively, Zoe Adebayo has the highest fielding percentage for a returning player, holding a .977 fielding percentage during the 2024 season on 341 total chances.
SCOUTING THE 901 CLASSIC
Rust College comes into the 2025 season after a 5-21 record at the NAIA level. The Bearcats were lead at the plate and in the circle by Leona Joshua. Joshua started 14 games in the circle and tallied 76 innings pitched with 108 strikeouts. At the plate, she held a .500 batting average, which led the team. Additionally, she led Rust College in hits (35), doubles (7), home runs (6), runs batted in (25) and had an OPS of 1.425.
Lindenwood finished its 2024 season with a 25-25 record in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Offensively, the returner with the highest production from last season is Mya Bethany. Bethany led the team in batting average (.297), hits (44) and stolen bases (12). Outfielder Irelynn West also returns to the Lions in 2024 after being named to the All-OVC first team. Her 19 runs batted in led the team and she was also tied for the team lead in doubles with six.
Hampton held a 17-35 record at the end of last season, finishing tenth in the CAA. The Pirates are a team that head coach Trena Prater is no stranger to. In Campbell's inaugural season in the CAA, Prater's squad swept Hampton with a series run differential of 24-1 in favor of the Fightin' Camels. Prater also spent three seasons as the head coach of the Pirates from 2010-13. Outfielder Carmynn Bonner led the Pirate offense last season with a .325 batting average and slugged three home runs while scoring 40 runs.
THE SERIES WITH…
This will be the first time that Memphis has faced Lindenwood, Hampton and Rust College in the program's 19 year history.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Softball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Memphis opens its season with a Friday night game against Rust College at 3 p.m., followed by a game against Lindenwood at 5:30 p.m. Both Friday games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Memphis will have two games on Saturday, facing off against Hampton at 3 p.m. and Lindenwood at 5 p.m. Memphis will conclude its weekend with a second game against Hampton at 10 a.m. Friday, which will also be broadcast on ESPN+.
The 901 Classic schedule, results, live stats and broadcast links (if applicable) can be found here.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
After a lackluster 2024 season, Memphis has turned to Trena Prater as the program's newest head coach. Prater joins the Tigers after a successful two seasons at Campbell, where she went 79-39-1 and won conference championships in both the Big South Conference and Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). She is joined in Memphis by three previous members of her staff at Campbell, Nerissa Myers, Erin Arevalo and Joy Milkowski, who have all been named as assistant coaches. Additionally, Cassady Brewer joins as the director of operations. She previously played under Prater at Central Florida during the 2018 season.
Offensively, the Tigers have retained most of their top producers from 2024. Zoe Adebayo led Memphis in numerous statistical categories. During the 2024 season, she led the Tigers in average (.280), hits (35), doubles (6), home runs (4), runs batted in (24) and OPS (.831).
McKaylee Polk and Arianna Cox-Cole were also contributors for Memphis last season, finishing second and third on the team in batting average. Polk also finished the season tied with Adebayo for the team lead in home runs with four. Cox-Cole led the Tigers on the base paths with 15 stolen bases last season.
Memphis hopes to revitalize the pitching staff after struggling in 2024. Taniyah Brown and Rylee Dugar led the Tigers in appearances with 33 and 29, respectively. Brown led Memphis with 135.1 innings pitched and 81 strikeouts, while Dugar led the team in starts with 22. Freshmen Jericho Tate and Lyrical Bennett are expected to contribute in the circle.
Defensively, Zoe Adebayo has the highest fielding percentage for a returning player, holding a .977 fielding percentage during the 2024 season on 341 total chances.
SCOUTING THE 901 CLASSIC
Rust College comes into the 2025 season after a 5-21 record at the NAIA level. The Bearcats were lead at the plate and in the circle by Leona Joshua. Joshua started 14 games in the circle and tallied 76 innings pitched with 108 strikeouts. At the plate, she held a .500 batting average, which led the team. Additionally, she led Rust College in hits (35), doubles (7), home runs (6), runs batted in (25) and had an OPS of 1.425.
Lindenwood finished its 2024 season with a 25-25 record in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Offensively, the returner with the highest production from last season is Mya Bethany. Bethany led the team in batting average (.297), hits (44) and stolen bases (12). Outfielder Irelynn West also returns to the Lions in 2024 after being named to the All-OVC first team. Her 19 runs batted in led the team and she was also tied for the team lead in doubles with six.
Hampton held a 17-35 record at the end of last season, finishing tenth in the CAA. The Pirates are a team that head coach Trena Prater is no stranger to. In Campbell's inaugural season in the CAA, Prater's squad swept Hampton with a series run differential of 24-1 in favor of the Fightin' Camels. Prater also spent three seasons as the head coach of the Pirates from 2010-13. Outfielder Carmynn Bonner led the Pirate offense last season with a .325 batting average and slugged three home runs while scoring 40 runs.
THE SERIES WITH…
This will be the first time that Memphis has faced Lindenwood, Hampton and Rust College in the program's 19 year history.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Softball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
1B/C
/ Softball
P/3B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
3B
/ Softball
P
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